President Obama

[AMDScooter]

Uh~Duh...



The question that flummoxed the great orator

Barack Obama, the World's Greatest Orator (™all news organisations), didn't exactly cover himself in glory when the BBC's political editor Nick Robinson asked him a question about who was to blame for the financial crisis. Normally word perfect, Obama ummed, ahed and waffled for the best part of two and a half minutes. Here, John Crace decodes what he was really thinking ...

Nick Robinson: "A question for you both, if I may. The prime minister has repeatedly blamed the United States of America for causing this crisis. France and Germany both blame Britain and America for causing this crisis. Who is right? And isn't the debate about that at the heart of the debate about what to do now?" Brown immediately swivels to leave Obama in pole position. There is a four-second delay before Obama starts speaking [THANKS FOR NOTHING, GORDY BABY. REMIND ME TO HANG YOU OUT TO DRY ONE DAY.] Barack Obama: "I, I, would say that, er ... pause [I HAVEN'T A CLUE] ... if you look at ... pause [WHO IS THIS NICK ROBINSON JERK?] ... the, the sources of this crisis ... pause [JUST KEEP GOING, BUDDY] ... the United States certainly has some accounting to do with respect to . . . pause [I'M IN WAY TOO DEEP HERE] ... a regulatory system that was inadequate to the massive changes that have taken place in the global financial system ... pause, close eyes [THIS IS GOING TO GO DOWN LIKE A CROCK OF SH*T BACK HOME. HELP]. I think what is also true is that ... pause [I WANT NICK ROBINSON TO DISAPPEAR] ... here in Great Britain ... pause [SH*T, GORDY'S THE HOST, DON'T LAND HIM IN IT] ... here in continental Europe ... pause [DAMN IT, BLAME EVERYONE.] ... around the world. We were seeing the same mismatch between the regulatory regimes that were in place and er ... pause [I'VE LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT AGAIN] ... the highly integrated, er, global capital markets that have emerged ... pause [I'M REALLY WINGING IT NOW]. So at this point, I'm less interested in ... pause [YOU] ... identifying blame than fixing the problem. I think we've taken some very aggressive steps in the United States to do so, not just responding to the immediate crisis, ensuring banks are adequately capitalised, er, dealing with the enormous, er ... pause [WHY DIDN'T I QUIT WHILE I WAS AHEAD?] ... drop-off in demand and contraction that has taken place. More importantly, for the long term, making sure that we've got a set of, er, er, regulations that are up to the task, er, and that includes, er, a number that will be discussed at this summit. I think there's a lot of convergence between all the parties involved about the need, for example, to focus not on the legal form that a particular financial product takes or the institution it emerges from, but rather what's the risk involved, what's the function of this product and how do we regulate that adequately, much more effective coordination, er, between countries so we can, er, anticipate the risks that are involved there. Dealing with the, er, problem of derivatives markets, making sure we have set up systems, er, that can reduce some of the risks there. So, I actually think ... pause [FANTASTIC. I'VE LOST EVERYONE, INCLUDING MYSELF] ... there's enormous consensus that has emerged in terms of what we need to do now and, er ... pause [I'M OUTTA HERE. TIME FOR THE USUAL CLOSING BOLLOCKS] ... I'm a great believer in looking forwards than looking backwards.

[jimzinsocal]

First Lady has to alter plans because of protests.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...ospital-visit/

First of all? Its sorta pathetic in a sense.
She isnt the President and shouldnt have to endure this
simply because for me? Its not right.

Having said that? Perhaps its a learning experience for Mrs. Obama.
Its a tough world out there and dont think for a moment that
you are universally "loved".

[jimzinsocal]

And this guy is hardly what Id call a conservative.
What a freaking horror story

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwa...04/04/summers/


Where are the applications for jobs that pay 135K per day?
I want one please.

[SteveW]

Uh~Duh...



The question that flummoxed the great orator

He stammers and him haws around like a car salesman the just got caught in a good pants down type lie.

[old82]

And this guy is hardly what Id call a conservative.
What a freaking horror story

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwa...04/04/summers/


Where are the applications for jobs that pay 135K per day?
I want one please.

yeah, really. what can a person do that's worth that much anyway?

[AeroSim]

He stammers and him haws around like a car salesman the just got caught in a good pants down type lie.

And the variations of the word "regulation" was the only apparent solution he had.

Regulation, regulation and regulation =G-Speak= control, control, control.

While I agee that regulations AND restrictions+bans need to be put ino effect, the sad part of it is that many of those safeguards were already in place but were bypassed and ignored. Moreover, what the language + implementation of the regulations Obama is talking about have yet to materialize. And my bet is that they will NOT go back to things like "no loans over 80% equity, 10-20% down and payments no more than 25% of gross income." I'm sure they will be more, ah, "equitable and fair"- only worded differently enough than those used to underwrite the sub-prime crisis.

IMO

[3dfxrain]

[AMDScooter]

What happens when you elect an inexperienced apologist to run the US executive....



The never ending "it's all our fault" campaign continues..

Better get the teleprompter fixed...

[AMDScooter]

The Genius that is BO thinks ‘Austrian’ is a language....



Better get the batteries on that teleprompter changed fast...

[otoc]

seems like a good change to me and a bit more important than the recent teleprompter static...

Democratic President Barack Obama's Justice Department decided last week that government prosecutors in the Republican Bush administration had made irreconcilable mistakes in the case against Stevens, the longest serving Republican in the Senate.

Stevens, 85, lost his Senate seat in November elections only days after the guilty verdict was reached. He was a powerful Republican whose reputation over a 40-year Senate career became symbolized by a costly "bridge to nowhere" he sought to fund in his home state.

Sullivan said he was naming Washington lawyer Henry Schuelke III to begin criminal contempt proceedings against the six-member prosecution team based on the prosecution's failures and "potential obstruction of justice."

Stevens told the court "I am full of thanks this morning," and said he would work for the Congress he served until recently to pass legislation guarding against prosecution abuses.

Sullivan also urged measures for judges, prosecutors and lawmakers to follow to ensure such mistakes are never repeated.

"Until recently my faith in the criminal justice system, particularly in the judicial system, was unwavering. But what some members of the prosecution team did nearly destroyed my faith," Stevens said. "My faith has been restored."

link>>>>reuters

file under bi-partisan, constitutional protections, reversal of past bush policies, and news you never read in this forum any more...

[otoc]

almost forgot...

The most recent New York Times/CBS poll -- conducted during the president’s overseas trip -- shows Obama with a 66% overall approval rating (his highest as president), 59% approving his handling of foreign policy, and 56% approving his handling of the economy. “By contrast,” the New York Times writes, “just 31 percent of respondents said they had a favorable view of the Republican Party, the lowest in the 25 years the question has been asked in New York Times/CBS News polls.”


“Also, the number of people who said they thought the country was headed in the right direction jumped from 15 percent in mid-January, just before Mr. Obama took office, to 39 percent today, while the number who said it was headed in the wrong direction dropped to 53 percent from 79 percent.



That is the highest percentage of Americans who said the country was headed in the right direction since 42 percent said so in February 2005, the second month of President George W. Bush’s second term.”

link>>> First 100 days: A poll bump for Obama?

file under most recent polling info and more news you don't get in this forum of late...

[jimzinsocal]

Good move.

http://thepage.time.com/obama-pool-r.../?xid=rss-page

Why good? First its always a good move for the sitting President to drop in to see the troops.
They need to hear encouragement from the President.
Also? The President kept his words brief.
For a refreshing change.


Check transcript but this may come first.
Obama: "Thanks to all of you."
"I am so honored." (Someone calls out love you...) "I love you back."
"I'm not going to talk long because I want to shake as many hands as I can."
Three points:
First, thanks. You face strain, sacrifice, controversy, difficulty, politics. Turning Iraq into fledgling democracy is an "extraordinary achievement."
Second, next 18 months "could be a critical period...it is time for us to transfer to the Iraqis. They need to take responsibility for their country."
Our role is to train Iraqis to take control of their own country so "we can start bringing our folks home."
Third, know this is hard on you, multiple rotations, away from families, injuries, deaths. Many hear from spouses re their sacrifices. "Michelle and myself are with you every day."
We will support families, increases coming in my budget, commitment to veterans.
"As long as I'm in the White House, you are going to get the support that you need...."

[JustinC939]

Better get the batteries on that teleprompter changed fast...

Okay, how many telemprompter jokes are you gonna make already?
If I honestly had a choice between sounding like an idiot 90% of the time like Bush, or sound like an idioy 10% of the time with a teleprompter, I think I'll choose the latter.

[AMDScooter]

almost forgot...



link>>> First 100 days: A poll bump for Obama?

file under most recent polling info and more news you don't get in this forum of late...

A C-BS & NY Slimes poll regurgitated at MSDNC.... lets do have a look at this as it's surely newsworthy. Hmmm... under the lightest of scrutiny (you know.. actually looking at the poll & not just the headline) I've decided to file it aside the other useless liberal polls that show Obama polls well when his own party is oversampled.

Poll of Mostly Democrats: Obama is Popular

Huh. I didn't know Lucy Ramirez was a pollster.

Sixty-seven percent say world leaders respect Mr. Obama, while 18 percent say they do not respect the president. That's a sharp contrast to the response when this question was asked about Mr. Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush, in July 2006: Just 30 percent then said the president is respected by the leaders of other countries.
Mr. Obama's overall approval rating, meanwhile, has hit a new high of 66 percent, up from 64 percent last month. His disapproval rating stands at 24 percent. Nearly all Democrats and most independents approve of the way the president is handling his job, while only 31 percent of Republicans approve.

So the partisan breakdown, post-weighing is:
R: 23%
D: 39%
I: 38%

Wow. Color me unsurprised by both the shoddy sample and the results.

Thanks for sharing...

[AMDScooter]

Okay, how many telemprompter jokes are you gonna make already?
If I honestly had a choice between sounding like an idiot 90% of the time like Bush, or sound like an idioy 10% of the time with a teleprompter, I think I'll choose the latter.